Special Needs In today’s society, more and more children are being diagnosed with special needs. This is no different for the children of Cumberland, Rhode Island. It is important for schools to offer services to the children who have a chronic disease or disability. These disabilities can be physical, emotional, behavioral or developmental. In the United States, about 15% of children have at least one special healthcare need. This statistic is similar to that of Rhode Island, which is at 17%. Families with children with special needs may have financial burdens, and require special equipment and technology in order to meet the child’s needs. While programs that help children with special needs with everyday life may be offered in schools, families often are not given these resources. They must change their lifestyles to fit with the child’s disability. In 2012, the number of students enrolled in special education classes was the same as that of the state. They both stood at eighteen percent. The majority of these students needed these services due to a learning disability. Minorities People of different racial groups have different effects on society. When it comes to poverty, different racial groups account for different amounts of poverty. From 2009-2011, the majority of poor children in Rhode Island were white children; this makes up forty nine percent of the population. Twenty one percent of children living in property are made up of some other race. Following this, are black children who make up sixteen percent of children living in poverty. Asian children make up four percent and Native Americans make up one percent. Of the children in poverty, thirty six percent consist of children ages five and younger. Thirty one percent consist of children age’s six to eleven. The children minorities of Cumberland are similar to those of the state. These children are put into these situations mostly due to their family situations. It is not something that they have any say in. These children have to live with the fact that they were born as minorities. They have to rise above this fact and the possibility of poverty in order to do well in school. Home Life A child’s home life situation can impact their success in school. In the state of Rhode Island there were over two hundred thousand children living with one or more parents. Between the same time periods, of 2009 to 2011, almost seventy thousand lived with an unmarried parent. Children in single parent homes are often more likely to live in poverty. The reason for this is the lack of another person’s income. Students living in poverty often do worse in school. They are more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents due to their constant worry about their financial status. In Cumberland, there are many different scenarios in which children live. These include children living with non- relatives, grandparents, other relatives, married- couple families, and single- parent families. Of these, children living with married- couples are the majority in Cumberland. They make up seventy five percent of the population. Single- parent families are made up of almost fifteen hundred families. They make up the next largest percentage of children, accounting for nineteen percent. Children growing up in a home with both parents, have a larger support system than those who grow up in a single parent home. The home situation for children can alter the way they will be for the rest of their lives.
Special Needs
In today’s society, more and more children are being diagnosed with special needs. This is no different for the children of Cumberland, Rhode Island. It is important for schools to offer services to the children who have a chronic disease or disability. These disabilities can be physical, emotional, behavioral or developmental. In the United States, about 15% of children have at least one special healthcare need. This statistic is similar to that of Rhode Island, which is at 17%. Families with children with special needs may have financial burdens, and require special equipment and technology in order to meet the child’s needs. While programs that help children with special needs with everyday life may be offered in schools, families often are not given these resources. They must change their lifestyles to fit with the child’s disability. In 2012, the number of students enrolled in special education classes was the same as that of the state. They both stood at eighteen percent. The majority of these students needed these services due to a learning disability.
Minorities
People of different racial groups have different effects on society. When it comes to poverty, different racial groups account for different amounts of poverty. From 2009-2011, the majority of poor children in Rhode Island were white children; this makes up forty nine percent of the population. Twenty one percent of children living in property are made up of some other race. Following this, are black children who make up sixteen percent of children living in poverty. Asian children make up four percent and Native Americans make up one percent. Of the children in poverty, thirty six percent consist of children ages five and younger. Thirty one percent consist of children age’s six to eleven. The children minorities of Cumberland are similar to those of the state. These children are put into these situations mostly due to their family situations. It is not something that they have any say in. These children have to live with the fact that they were born as minorities. They have to rise above this fact and the possibility of poverty in order to do well in school.
Home Life
A child’s home life situation can impact their success in school. In the state of Rhode Island there were over two hundred thousand children living with one or more parents. Between the same time periods, of 2009 to 2011, almost seventy thousand lived with an unmarried parent. Children in single parent homes are often more likely to live in poverty. The reason for this is the lack of another person’s income. Students living in poverty often do worse in school. They are more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents due to their constant worry about their financial status. In Cumberland, there are many different scenarios in which children live. These include children living with non- relatives, grandparents, other relatives, married- couple families, and single- parent families. Of these, children living with married- couples are the majority in Cumberland. They make up seventy five percent of the population. Single- parent families are made up of almost fifteen hundred families. They make up the next largest percentage of children, accounting for nineteen percent. Children growing up in a home with both parents, have a larger support system than those who grow up in a single parent home. The home situation for children can alter the way they will be for the rest of their lives.
Citations
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_13.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013. http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/13_Factbook_Indicator_13.pdf.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_2.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_22.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_7.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013. http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/13_Factbook_Indicator_7.pdf.